Norfolk Southern TV commercial spotlights role in economic development

A television commercial that began airing Monday showcases the railroad’s role in economic development.

Norfolk Southern said that, in the last decade, it has participated in the location and expansion of more than 1,000 factories, distribution facilities, and other businesses along its lines, representing an total investment by railroad customers of $30 billion and the creation of about 46,000 jobs.

Thirty- and 60-second versions of the commercial, “City of Possibilities, are running on CNN, Fox News, and other channels.

The commercial will run during the Republican and Democratic national conventions and through the presidential election in November.

The spot also will appear in sponsorships at the political convention sites in Tampa Bay, Fla., and Charlotte, N.C.

The company described the commercial as “a whimsical portrayal of a boy and his dog, and the steady growth of a railroad-served community that springs up while they sleep.”

“Norfolk Southern is a dependable partner for states and local economic development authorities on projects involving site selection and development of infrastructure to connect customers to our rail system Donald W. Seale, the company’s executive vice president and chief marketing officer, said in a statement. “It’s not a stretch to say that, where the railroad goes, good things follow.”

Norfolk Southern Railway operates approximately 20,000 route miles in 22 states and the District of Columbia and serves every major container port in the eastern United States.